If someone calls you claiming to be a Los Angeles sheriff’s deputy, be wary. According to the L.A. Sheriff’s Department, scammers are impersonating officers and demanding money over the phone.
Sergeant Reyes of the LASD fraud and cybercrime division says many of the people being targeted are lawyers, realtors, and other professionals whose phone numbers and personal information are easy to find online.
“Basically what happens is the suspect identifies his victims via social media, professional apps like LinkedIn,” he told KNX News’ Nataly Tavidian.
The callers will pose as deputies and ask for money, claiming the victims owe a fine for an outstanding warrant or failing to respond to a jury summons. Some victims who fall for it are losing thousands of dollars.
Reyes says the LASD is working with the FBI to find what they believe to be a ring of suspects.
“Some of these players or some of these suspects are not within California, they're outside of California, he said. “So that's what makes it a little bit difficult for us to try to put our hands on them.”
Reyes says the actual sheriff’s department will never call and ask you for money.
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